Pad Man Review {3.5/5} & Review Rating
EXPECTATIONS
Of late, quite a few Akshay Kumar films are set in the interiors of the country and hence the sound too bears that feel and essence. This is the reason why you wait to hear what director R Balki has in mind as he collaborates with composer Amit Trivedi and lyricist Kausar Munir for the five songs that feature in the soundtrack.
MUSIC
It is a beautiful start to the album as the sound of 'dholki' with a 'shehnai' in the background reminds one of the kind of music that Nadeem-Shravan made aplenty back in the 90s and the 2000s. In fact it is quite credible to heat Amit Trivedi come up with 'Aaj Se Teri' which is just not the kind of melody that one usually associates with him. Nonetheless, this is a beautiful piece with some simple lyrics by Kausar Munit further accentuated by the manner in which Arijit Singh sings this one. Easy on the ears and finding a quick place on the lips, this one stays with you for days after you have heard it just a couple of times. Hit.
The moment Pragati Joshi, Deepti Rege and Mayuri Kudalkar come together to render the word 'Superhero', you know that the small town feel would be quite prevalent in 'The Pad Man Song'. Introducing the character played by Akshay Kumar as a superhero of a different kind who doesn't have to jump from buildings to prove his might, this musical piece is just the right fit for Pad Man. Mika Singh sings this one with his heart in and rest assured the song too would feature at quite a few places in the film, especially around the interval point and whenever the central protagonist wins in his pursuit of excellence.
Quintessential Amit Trivedi sound is heard in 'Hu Ba Hu' which is also the song where he comes behind the mike and gives a very good account of himself as a vocalist. This one starts off on a good pace and as it reaches its crescendo with an oriental sound making for a good hook, it does catch your attention right away. A situational piece that should establish the escapades of Pad Man well, it should do well as a part of the background score.
Male voices continue to dominate the soundtrack with Mohit Chauhan coming in next. He croons 'Saale Sapne' in a way that only he can while establishing the character of Pad Man who has dreams in his eyes and wants to do something different while being truly innovative. A very well written number by Kausar, this one has the kind of tune that reminds one of many collaboration between Imtiaz Ali and Pritam. Expect this one to feature at an important juncture of the film where the character played by Akshay Kumar defeats ambiguities around him to emerge victorious.
Finally the wait to hear female voices ends with 'Sayaani' that has all around women power in the form of Yashita Sharma, Jonita Gandhi, Yashika Sikka & Rani Kaur. This could well be the first song ever in Bollywood history where women get together to celebrate an occasion where a young girl reaches puberty. With sweet lyrics complimenting the situation, this one adds well to the overall appeal of the soundtrack.
OVERALL
The music of Pad Man promises to fit in well to the narrative and has just the right songs for the various situations in the film. Instead of packing the soundtrack with three of four love songs that may not be relevant to the overall plot, the entire team does well to mix it up well and ensure that the soundtrack compliments the film as a whole.
OUR PICK(S)
‘Aaj Se Meri’, The Pad Man Song, ‘Saale Sapne’
